Senate Rejects Conflicting Petrol Import Figures, Summons NMDPRA, NNPCL Chiefs

The Senate Committee on Public Accounts has rejected conflicting records of petrol imports presented by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), summoning the heads of three agencies to explain discrepancies running into billions of litres.

The committee directed the chief executives of NMDPRA and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), alongside the Director-General of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), to appear before it to reconcile the figures and clarify possible irregularities.

The discrepancies emerged when NMDPRA appeared before the committee to respond to queries arising from NEITI’s 2021–2023 Oil and Gas Industry Audit Report.

The NMDPRA chief executive, Mallam Rabiu Abdullahi Umar, represented by Deputy Director Uzoamaka Ugwu-Ojobe, defended the authority’s records, insisting that its petrol importation figures were credible despite the conflicting data.

Ugwu-Ojobe told the committee that Nigeria imported 3.29 billion litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly known as petrol, in 2022 and 6.02 billion litres in 2023, according to NMDPRA’s records.

However, NNPCL’s figures showed that 6.27 billion litres were imported in 2022 and 3.88 billion litres in 2023, revealing substantial differences between the two agencies’ records.

While the NMDPRA representative described the discrepancies as slight and said efforts were underway to reconcile the figures, lawmakers rejected the explanation.

Senator Abdul Ningi, representing Bauchi Central, described the differences as wide, disturbing and suspicious, arguing that discrepancies of such magnitude could not be dismissed without a thorough investigation.

He questioned the suggestion that the figures were only slightly different, insisting that the committee needed a comprehensive explanation for the conflicting records.

Senator Dayo Faduyile, representing Ondo South, also expressed concern, saying the inconsistencies raised questions about the reliability and accuracy of the agencies’ data.

Similarly, Senator Anietan Bassey, representing Akwa Ibom North-East, called for a detailed investigation to establish the facts and identify anyone responsible for any wrongdoing.

Bassey warned that Nigerians should not continue to bear the consequences of possible financial losses while those responsible for irregularities escaped accountability.

Following the deliberations, the committee, chaired by Senator Hassan Dankwabo, representing Gombe North, rejected NMDPRA’s defence and resolved to summon the heads of the three agencies for a joint meeting.

The meeting is expected to establish the reasons for the discrepancies in petrol importation figures contained in NEITI’s 2021–2023 audit report and determine appropriate measures to address the inconsistencies.

The committee’s action places renewed scrutiny on the accuracy of Nigeria’s petroleum import records and the accountability mechanisms governing the country’s oil and gas industry.